A lot goes into an auto insurance rate quote, including your ZIP code, coverage levels, marital status, annual mileage, driving history and vehicle make, year and model. In most states, your gender and credit history are also used to determine rates. And again, the reason auto insurance comparison shopping is so important is because rates between companies are different for each person, too.

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Credit score: This can be a main factor for insurers in states that allow it. According to an Insure.com rate analysis, drivers with poor credit pay 71 percent more on average for car insurance than drivers with good credit. “All insurers have come to the conclusion that there is a correlation between credit worthiness and the probability of having a claim,” says Travis Biggert, chief sales officer with HUB International. Keep your credit score in the acceptable range to keep your premium affordable.

Like a DUI, a reckless driving citation can raise your car insurance rates. If you’ve received a reckless driving citation, your best bets for cheap car insurance are USAA and State Farm, despite the latter being one of the more expensive insurance companies if you don’t have a violation. This shows the importance of comparing car insurance rates carefully — your driving profile will be handled differently by every carrier.

But liability coverage levels come in threes — you’ll probably see something like 50/100/50 up to 250/500/250 in typical policies. You can think of these limits like: individual injuries / total injuries / property damage. Insurers are a little more technical, calling them bodily injury liability, total bodily injury liability and physical damage liability.
While A.M. Best, J.D. Power, and Consumer Reports can tell us a lot about a company and how it treats its customers, the best homeowners insurance policy for you is one that provides you with the coverage you need for your specific situation. A licensed representative from Policygenius can help you compare homeowners insurance policies and quotes until you find a policy that works for you.
Collision and comprehensive insurance are two optional types of auto insurance where your insurer pays for repairs to your vehicle. While there are other optional auto insurance coverages, liability, comprehensive, and collision are three of the most common. These coverages work hand-in-hand to repair or replace most of the damages to your car. It's important to know the difference, and make sure you're adequately covered.